Rail-separator.



T. G. WILLSON & A. H. MARANDA.

' RAIL SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, I916.

Patented June 19, 1917.

INVENTORS (730714; imam W N. "Malta/0Com FIG. 4

WITNESSES 'rn srarns PATENT spam THOMAS Gr. WILLSON, OF SWISSVALE, AND ALBERT H. MARANDA, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-SEPARATOR.

Application filed September 30, 1916.

To all whomz'zf may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS G. lVILLsON and ALBERT H. MARANDA, citizens of the United States, residing at Swissvale and Pittsburgh, respectively, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Separators, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to rail separators, that is, to devices for adjusting and main taining the spaced relation between two parallel rails, such as between a running rail and a guard rail.

One feature of our invention is the provision of a separator of this character in which the adjustment is accomplished by means of a screw and nut device.

We will describe one form of separator embodying our invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view showing in end elevation one form of separator embodying our invention the rails and rail clamps being shown to explain the use of the device in practice. Fig. 2 is a view showing one of the rail blocks and the screw shown in Fig. l, and Fig. 3 is a view of the part of the structure shown in Fig. 2 looking at the same from the right hand side. Fig. 4 is a side View of the other rail block shown in Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the reference characters R and R designate two rails of a railway track, of which B may be one of the usual running rails and R a guard rail in close proximity thereto, the space between the heads of these two rails being merely sufficient to give ample clearance for the flanges of the railway vehicles passing along the track. These rails are mounted on a metallic plate 2 which is in turn mounted in the usual manner on a tie (not shown). The base of the running rail R abuts again at a spike 3 which passes through a hole in plate 2 and is driven down into the tie. Rail R abuts against a clamping device 4 which may be of-any suitable type and which is preferably adjustable so that the rail R can be moved toward rail R when necessary to compensate for wear.

Located between the two rails R and R Specification of Letters Patent.

R and- R, respectively.

Patented June 19, 1917.

Serial No. 123,026.

is the separator embodying our invention, and which, as here shown, comprises two blocks 5 and 5 shaped so as to fit into the spaces between the heads and bases of rails These blocks are shown in side elevation in Figs. 3 and 4, respectively. The blocks 5 and 5 are provided with a screw and nut device for determining the spaced relation of the blocks and for maintaining them in such spaced relation; as here shown, this device comprises a screw 6 attached to block 5, and a nut 8 coacting with this screw and abutting against block 5. A look washer 9 is interposed between the nut and the adjacent block to prevent the nut from being turned by jarring and vibration, etc., and for a fifirther purpose which will appear hereina ter.

In the practice of our invention the screw 6 is preferably attached to block 5 in the manner illustrated in Figs. 2 and 8. The screw is provided with a tapered head; the block is of cast iron or other suitable material and is cast around the screw head so that the two are in effect an integral memher. To prevent turning of the screw in the block, the screw head is preferably provided with with one or more feathers 6 The screw 6 projects into a hole? in block 5, which hole is large enough to accommodate the screw with slight clearance.

The use of the rail separator in practice is as follows: In installing, the rail R is first located by the spike 3, and rail R is then moved up to the desired position with relation to rail R by means of the adjusting clamp 4:. Nut 8 is then turned to the right until washer 9 is clamped firmly against block 5*. The desired spacing of the two rails being determined by the clamp l, this spacing is maintained by the rail separator embodying our invention; that is, it is impossible for rail R to move toward rail B because the lock washer 9 provents the nut 8 from being turned to the left on the screw by vibration or jar occasioned by train movements. Yet the separator permits of ready adjustment to compensate for wear by merely turning the nut with an ordinary track wrench.

The lock washer 9, in addition to preventing the nut from turning to the left, also tends to prevent longitudinal displacement of the separator, this tendency being due to the tension of the lock washer between the nut and the rail block.

Although we have herein shown and described only one form of rail separator embodying our invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. A member adapted for use as part of a rail separator, comprising a screw, and a block cast around the head of the screw.

2. A member adapted for use as part of Gopies of this patent may be obtained for a rail separator, comprising a screw having a feathered head, and a block cast around the head of said screw, whereby the screw and the block constitute an integral member the parts of which are prevented from relativedturning by the feathering of the screw hea In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS Gr. WILLSON. ALBERT H. MARANDA.

Witnesses:

A. HERMAN VEGNER, R. L. Kisrrnn. V

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

